Food Counts: A Pan-Canadian Sustainable Food Systems Report Card

Pillar #4: Localizes Food Systems and Puts Control Locally

The localizes food systems principle speaks to reducing the distance between food providers and consumers, resisting dependency on remote and unaccountable corporations and rejecting dumping and inappropriate food aid. The puts control locally principle speaks to placing control in the hands of local food providers, recognizing the need to inhabit and to share territories and rejects the privatization of natural resources.

Summary of Indicators

60. Breastfeeding initiation and maintenance, Status: “One Point in Time Data*”

*For this indicator we were only able to extract data from one point in time. We expect that this data will continue to be collected on a regular basis; therefore this current data point will act as the baseline for future reports.

Networks and Policy Initiatives Indicators

Indicator 58: Number of municipal food policy initiatives

Interpretation of Findings: “One point in time data”

As of 2013, there were 64 food policy initiatives across Canada (MacRae & Donahue, 2013).

Indicator 59: Number of food system networks

Interpretation of Findings: “One point in time data”

There are currently 16 provincial or territorial food system networks in Canada representing all provinces in Canada and two of the three territories (i.e., Nunavut and Yukon) (Food Secure Canada, 2016).

Breastfeeding Indicator

Indicator 60: Breastfeeding initiation and maintenance

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey ^ Certain exclusions apply to this data (please see ‘data specifics’ for this indicator in Appendix B).

Interpretation of Findings: “Mixed”

The proportion of mothers initiating breastfeeding rose from 87.2% in 2010 to 90.3% in 2012. During this same time period, the proportion of mothers who exclusively breastfed for at least 6 months decreased from 27.7% in 2010 to 24.2% in 2012.